Container having tear strip



Nov. 18, 1958 Filed July 6, 1955 J. HENCHERT CONTAINER HAVING TEAR STRIP3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I Jalm hencher/ INVENT OR ATTORNEYS Nov. 18, 1958 J.HENCHERT CONTAINER HAVING TEAR STRIP 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6, 1955INVENTOR John l-lencher/ ATTORNEYS Nov.,l8, 1958 a J. HENCHERT 2,860,812

7 CONTAINER HAVING TEAR STRIP Filed July-6, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3IIII/IIIIIIIM [-76.9 FIGJO INVENTOR Ja/m Hench err United States PatentCONTAINER HAVING TEAR STRIP John Henchert, River Forest, [1]., assignorto Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application July 6, 1955, Serial No. 520,195 7 Claims. (Cl.220--54) The invention relates generally to metallic receptacles, andmore particularly to collar'cans wherein are provided tear stripsadapted to be wound on keys and by this means torn out of the body wallsof the cans in order to effect an opening of the cans, and it primarilyseeks to provide a novel tear strip structure and a novel method offorming the same. I

In cans of the character stated the tear strips are defined by parallelscore lines which surround the cans adjacent the upper end closuresthereof, and a collar is mounted in the upper end of each can oppositeits tear strip in position for extending upwardly from the upperextremity of the can body resulting from the tearing out of the tearstrip, thereby to maintain the desired can body wall height and providea support neck over which the skirt or body wall portion remainingattached to the upper end closure can be telescoped to effect areclosure of the can.

Much difficulty has been experienced in the opening of conventionalforms of collar cans because the conventional tear strips are springy,smooth and flat, and in the course of the winding of a tear strip abouta key the winding strip tends to side slip or wind off line. Thisproblem is aggravated by the springy nature of the tear strips and thetendency of the strips to partially spring out or unwind each time thekey is released by a person opening a can preparatory to obtaining a newgrip on the key after each partial winding of the strip. It is 2,860,812Patented Nov. 18, 1958 "ice structure wherein is included a tear stripembodying multiple ribbing placed in a novel manner efiective to avoidthe disadvantages hereinabove enumerated.

It has also been noted that in known practices of scoring the can bodyblanks totdefine the tear strips therein the rolling contact of thescoring rolls serves to distort and wave the edge of the body blankadjacent and paralleling the score lines, making it necessary to passthe blanks through flat surfaced, wave flattening .rolls in order toremove the objectionable marginal waves created during the scoring ofthe blanks. According to another feature of thepresent invention theformation of the tear strip ribbing is accomplished by rolling contactthrough the medium of ribbing and flattening roll action subsequent tothe scoring action and simultaneously serving to form the ribbing andremove from the blanks all marginal waving created incidental to "saidscoring action. It has alsov been found that this manner of forming thetear strip ribbing simultaneously with the rolling out or flattening ofthe wavy marginalportions created by the scoring action provides aflexing roll-like 1 function in breaking the grain in the tear strip andremoving therefrom substantially all tendency to spring outwardly aboutthe key when gripping of the' key is released by a person opening thecan, as aforesaid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a can of the characterstated including a tear strip having therein at least three ribs, oneprojecting in one direction beyond the plane or cross section of the canbodywall,

and the other two projecting in the'opposite direction beyond said wall,thus making it po-ssibleto providea "i deeper rib and groove centrallyof the three rib arrangement than at the other rib locations andwithoutobjectionable projection of any of the ribs; at either side ofthe wall plane or cross section.

A further object of the invention is t-o provide a novel tear strip ribplacement of the character statedwherein the center rib is projectedinwardly of the bodyw'all a purpose of the present invention to providea novel rib and groove arrangement on each tear strip subject to nestingas the strip is being wound about a key and in a manner assuring againstside slipping and off line winding of the strip.

Single and even double ribbed tear strips have been known heretofore,but in these known structures the ribbing has been projected whollyoutward or wholly inward with relation to the plane or cross section ofthe can body wall, and these arrangements have proven disadvantageousfor a number of reasons. One disadvantage has been the necessity ofprojecting the ribs too far outwardly or inwardly of the can body wallplane or cross section in order to provide a practical depth of ribbing.When it has been sought to provide projection of the ribbing whollyinward of the can body wall the inward projections presented problemsincidental to the mounting of the can collars. When it is sought toprovide projection of the ribbing wholly outward of the can body wallapproximately .007 of an inch and the rib; to each side of the centerrib is projected outwardly of said wall approximately .007 of an inch,thereby providing with this limited and yet entirely satisfactory ribprojection a center rib approximately .014 of an inch. in depth, muchgreater than could otherwise be provided without objectionabl'eprojection of ribbing beyond either side of the body wall plane or crosssection.

A still further object of the invention-is to provide a novel method offorming collar can bodies including the steps of moving the body blanksthrough scoring rolls to provide the tear strip defining scores, andthen through tear strip ribbing and flattening rolls effectivesimultaneously to form ribs in parallel relation along the score linedefined tear strips and flatten out wavy marginal portions of the blankscreated incidental to the scoring action. With the above and otherobjects in view that will hereinafter-appear, the nature ofthe'invention will be more clearly understood by reference to thefollowing the depth of the can body wall the depth of-theribbing H mustbe curtailed in order to avoid provision of unsightly and impracticaloutward projections. Also, outward ribbing alone, single or double, hasbeen found somewhat objectionable in that it tends to provide suchlocalized rigidity in the ribbing and leverage during the tearing out ofa given strip that there is a resulting tendency to turn outwardly, theraw metal edge at the remaining can body top extremity, and thisoutwardly turned edge is positioned for damaging contact by a userof thecan. An object of the present invention is to provide a collar candetailed description, the appended claims 'andthe several viewsillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating a collar can embodying theinvention, a portion of one side of the can adjacent the top thereofbeing brokenaway to show the positioning of the collar and tear strip.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the tearstrip in the process of being tom out,

the same being partially wound onto akey. Figure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical cross section showing the specific ribbingarrangement on the tear strip.

Figure 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view ill-us trating the blankscoring rolls and the-ribfembos ill and blank margin flattening rolls,the devices for feeding the blan'kstosaid rolls also being shown.

Figure 6 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation;

showing the parts illustrated in Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view showing portions of thescoring rolls and the embossing and blank margin flattening rolls, ablankbeing shown between the cooperating roll sets and having the tearstrip area thereof defined by the scoring'rolls and'ribbed or embossedby the embossing and flattening rolls and having the wavecreated'incidental to the scoring action removed by the flatteningportion of said embossing and flattening rolls.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 8-8 on Figure7 and showing the embossing and flattening rolls engaging and reshapinga blank passing therebetween.

Figures91and IO-a're partial developments of the cooperating embossingand flattening rolls showing how the cooperative ribbing and grooving inthe rolls terminate so as to avoid embossing of the tear strip areaadjacent the seam margins of the blanks and the tongue extensionthereof.

In the example disclosure of the invention herein illustrated, theimproved collar can structureincludes a body generally designated 5, abottom end closure 6 and a top end'closure 7, said closures beingsecured in place on the flanged can body by the usual double rolled seamstructures as at 8.

Scorel'ines 9 define'a tearstrip 10 near the upper end of the'canbody,and opposite this tear strip a collar 11 is mounted in the body inthe-manner clearly illustratedin Figures 1and-3, said c'ollarhaving aninwardly directed curl 12 at it's upper end; and it's-lower end anchoredas at 13 in the; outwardly directed body bead '14 immediately abovetheinwardlydirectedbody head 15. It is to be understood that the-collarmounting beading 14, 15 rnay be formed afterinsertion" of the collar'into the formed canbody.

According to-' the invention, the tear strip 10 is equipped with aninwardly projecting centerrib 16, an upper outwardly projecting. rib 17above the center rib, and a lower outwardly projecting'rib 18below thecenter rib. In this particular illustration, each-of the ribs-16, 17 and18 is projected-inwardly or outwardly approximately .007 of an inchbeyond th'e 'plane or cross section of the body wall 5. Itwillbe'clearly apparent by reference to Figure 3 of the drawings thatthisparticular placement and dimensioning of-the tear stri'p'ribbingprovides a center rib l6-of approximately .014 of an inch, thusproviding the desired depth of ribs and grooves without projecting anyrib an impractical distance inwardly or outwardly beyond the'body wallplane or-cross section'so that it would comprise an unsightly projectionor one which would interfere with practical mountingof the collar withinthe upper portion of the can body.

The can body 5 shownin the previously described illustrations,preferably, but not necessarily, is made upfrom a bl'ank19 asillustrated in Figure 4i Such blanks may first be fed with a long edgeforward, or in a direction perpendicular-to the length of the-blank,through suitable apparatus for notching the blank at 20*at one endand-at 21 at its other end in the tear strip area, andproviding thetongue extension 2 2 on the tear striparea 23 defined by the scorelines. Duringsueh feeding of the blanks they are also slit at 24 at oneend and notched at 25 at the other end to provide the hook margins 26and lap areas 27, and also may be angle cut at 28 at their corners. Thishaving been accomplished the blanks are then fed in the direction oftheir length through scoring rolls to form parallel scores 29 definingthe tear strip and thence through embossing and flattening rolls whichsimultaneously flatten the wave provided in the blank margin adjacentthe tear strip area and provide the inwardly projected center rib 30 andthe upper and lower oppositely projected ribs 31 and 32 along the tearstrip area 23 defined between the score lines 29.

Portions only of the apparatus for feeding and shaping the blanks areshown diagrammatically herein, reciproeating feed means for feeding theblanks in a direction perpendicular to their length being indicated at33, reciprocating feed means forfeeding the blanks in the direction oftheir length are indicated at 34 and are effective to present the blanksto the feeder chains 35 having thereon suitably spaced feed dogs 36which feed the blanks over supporting table means 37 and between gagingdevices 38 to the roll sets.

The blanks being fed by the chains 35first pass between the upperscoring roll 39rotatably supported at 40 and the lower plain surfacedopposing roll 41, and then said blanks pass between the upper and lowerribbing rolls 42 and 43 which include in addition to the grooving at 44and ribbing at 45, plain straightening surfaces 46 which are effectivein the manner previously described for removing the wave created at themarginal portion of the blanks beside the tear strip area. Roll drivingdevices are diagrammatically illustrated and generally desig nated 47,and it is to be understood that the driving devices are so coordinatedthat the ribbing and grooving on the cooperating upper and lower rolls42 and 43 will be placed so as to terminate the ribbing on the tearstrip at 48, short of the positionof the tongue extension 22 and theseam area at each end of the blank, as will be clearly apparent byreference to Figures 4, 9 and 10.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the tear strip includesthree ribs, one projecting in one direction beyond the plane or crosssection of the can body wall, and the other two projecting in theopposite direction beyond said Wall, thus making it possible to providea deeper rib and groove centrally of the three-rib arrangement than atthe other rib locations, without objectionable projection of any of theribs at either side of the wall plane or cross section. It will be notedby reference to Figure 3 that the inward projection of the rib 16provides an outwardly opening groove between the crests or high pointsof the upper and lower ribs 16, 17 which is approximately twice thedepth, or in other words the degree of projection of any one of the tearstrip ribs 16, 17 and 18.

The particular method of passing the blanks first through the scoringrolls and then through the rolls which simultaneously emboss'the ribarrangement in the score line defined tear strip and straighten out themarginal wave in the blank created incidental to the scoring actionisnovel and provides marked advantages. This particular manner ofproviding the rib arrangement in the tear strip provides a flexingroll-like function in breaking the grain in the' tear strip and removingtherefrom substantially all tendency to spring outwardly about the keywhen gripping of the key is released by a person opening the can. It ispossible in the use of the disclosed tear strip arrangement to apply akey to the tongue 22 and wind the strip thereonwith the strip ribs andgrooves accurately and firmly nested in a manner securing the windingstrip against side slip and off-winding.

Whileexample disclosures of the structure and method steps are madeherein, it is to be understood that the disclosed structure andpractices may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Ina can structure of the character described, a body wall -providedwith-a tear stripdefined byparallel 1 score lines extendingcircumferentially about the wall, and

at least three parallel spaced rib means extending about the wall withinthe confines of the tear strip with an intermediate rib projecting inone direction from the wall cross section and the two immediatelyadjacent ribs projecting in the opposite direction from the wall crosssection,-

thereby to provide cooperating rib and groove means effective to nestand prevent side slipping of the tear strip as it is wound about a keyin the process of being torn out of the wall.

2. In a can structure of the character described, a body wall providedwith a tear strip defined by parallel score lines extendingcircumferentially about the wall, and at least three parallel spaced ribmeans extending about the wall within the confines of the tear stripwith the intermediately disposed rib projecting inwardly with relationto the wall and each of the other ribs projecting outwardly withrelation to the wall, thereby to provide cooperating rib and groovemeans efiective to nest and prevent side slipping of the tear strip asit is wound about a key in the process of being torn out of the wall.

3. Can structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the inwardly andoutwardly directed ribs are three in number and are projectedsubstantially like distances beyond the cross section of the body wall,thereby to cause the intermediately projected rib to provide anoutwardly presented groove extending between the crests of the outwardlyprojected ribs and which is substantially twice the depth of projectionof any individual rib beyond the body wall.

4. Can structure as defined in claim 2 wherein there is included acollar arranged in-the can body with its upper and lower extremitiesrespectively extending above and below the score line defined tearstrip, and means anchoring the collar to the body wall in snug fittingcontact within the inwardly projected tear strip rib. I

5. Can structure as defined in claim 2 wherein the inwardly andoutwardly directed ribs are three in number and are projectedsubstantially like distances beyond the cross section of the body wall,thereby to cause the intermediately projected rib to provide anoutwardly presented groove extending between the crests of the outwardlyprojected ribs and which is substantially twice the depth of projectionof any individual rib beyond and body wall,

and therev also being included a collar arranged in the can body withits upper and lower extremities respectively projection of anyindividual rib beyond the body wall,

and there also being included a collar arranged in the can body with itsupper and lower extremities respectively extending above and below thescore line defined tear strip, and means anchoring the collar to thebody wall in snug fitting contact within the inwardly projected tearstrip rib, said can body also including a side seam structure throughwhich the tear strip extends to terminate in a key receiving tongue, andthe rib means being terminated at each end of the tear strip short ofthe position of the seam structure.

7. In a can structure of the character described, a body wall providedwith a tear strip defined by parallel score lines extendingcircumferentially about the wall, and at least three parallel spaced ribmeans extending about the wall within the confines of the tear stripwith the intermediately disposed rib projecting inwardly beyond the wallcross section and each of the other ribs projecting outwardly beyond thewall cross section, thereby to provide cooperating rib and groove meanselfective to nest and prevent side slipping of the tear strip as it iswound about a key in the process of being torn out of the wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS834,178 Williams Oct. 23, 1906 1,879,873 Hopkins Sept. 27, 19321,929,771 Burns Oct. 10, 1933 2,333,841 Bugge Nov. 9, 1943 2,495,294Socke Jan. 24, 1950

